Brokeback Hospital: Reality is Almost Always Wrong
by kandykisseshearts
Summary: House MD with a Brokeback Mountain Twist - What could possibly go wrong
1. Chapter 1

Brokeback Hospital: Reality is Nearly Always Wrong

Disclaimer: I could not own this less if I tried. I don't own House md (I have referenced at the bottom of the fanfic what episodes I have used lines from), I do not own the song iris by the goo goo dolls, I do not own the idea, I do not own Brokeback Mountain. Basically all I own is the plot.

A/N: this is a slash fanfic. Don't like it then don't read it. Comments are greatly appreciated

Chapter 1

It was against the rules. They both knew that. They went into this knowing the consequences. Both had everything to lose just for this. For this one chance to give their life meaning. For this one chance not to be alone. For this one chance to feel truly happy.

"Ah Dr Cuddy what a pleasure it is to see you on this lovely fine day"

A man with course straggly dark hair stood in the doorway of the diagnostics office. He leant on the cane with an arrogant grace that was unnatural of any cripple. A mocking smile sat comfortably on his lips. His piercing cerulean eyes were staring down the tight skimpy vermillion top of the woman sitting authoritatively at his desk.

Dr Cuddy did not look particularly impressed by this. She shook back her midnight ebony locks. She narrowed her silvery blue eyes disdainfully at the doctor before her and pursed her red lips with a frown.

"House, you have a new case" she held out a file as she stood up imperiously

"No I don't" Dr House gazed at the file disdainfully. It was far too large for his liking

"Yes you do - twenty five year old female with sleeping issues"

She handed him the file with a determined look in her eye. That look told House that she was confident that he would be interested in such a trivial case. House was confident he would not be, especially when he took a glance at the file.

"I'm guessing she's... what's the medical term? Upset. These 25-year-old females are usually completely rational. They're rocks. Really. And... my theory seems to be supported by the fact that she swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. Get her a shrink. And me some more vicodin"

He was the best doctor at this hospital. Why did Cuddy need to patronise him with stupid cases? Any fool could see it was a simple case of depression. Why did she need House for that?

"She's more than a bit upset. She hasn't slept in 10 days" she retorted

"She's lying. Without REM sleep, your neurons stop regenerating - the brains shut down lobe by lobe. She'd be insane after five days - dead by ten."

Everybody lies was his philosophy. He lived and worked by that assumption. People always lied, especially to their doctors. People were stupid that way. Stupid and fascinating.

"Give me a little credit; I know what gets you off. She took the pills to sleep, not to kill herself" Cuddy snapped

"Clever alibi" He commented disinterestedly.

"They didn't work. She stayed awake, even though she downed the whole bottle. And the longest anyone has ever survived without sleep is eleven days. Which gives you about 22 hours"

Cuddy smirked triumphantly. She knew she had finally succeeded in obtaining the grouchy doctor's interest. She recognised that look in those piercing eyes as they left her cleavage and gazed down at the file. However, he looked up noting that she hadn't moved.

"You can go now you've got me to take the case" Dr House said dismissively

"I was just going to say we've got a new oncology head" she glared at him

"What has that got to do with me? I don't work in oncology" House shrugged

"If you chase this one away - like you did the last one then I'm giving you double clinic duty for the next six months"

She turned away from him and left just in time to miss his grumbling comment about her having no evidence of him "stealing" oncology's files of everything over the last year.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

House stood outside the patient's room peering through the slats in the blinds. He loathed having any form of interaction with patients, which was why he had lackeys: to do the worst parts of the job. However, he didn't trust them not to screw something up completely so he liked to observe.

He heard the loud patter of striding footsteps behind him. They were moving at a fast confident pace. He wondered momentarily if it was Cuddy approaching but he would have heard the clacking of her heels instead of the patter behind him.

He waited another four steps before he lazily stretched out his cane. The rhythmic pattering stumbled to a halt as a young man went flying across the hospital floor.

House turned to view his victim. He was a young man wearing a lab coat. As he didn't recognise him House assumed he must be an intern. He returned to gazing through the slats.

"Dr House, I presume?"

House turned back around to see the young man's hands placed firmly on his hips. His gentle hawk eyes held a mildly amused look that was almost hidden behind dark auburn hair that fell partially across his face.

He didn't answer the man but nodded.

"James Wilson, Head of Oncology"

House stood shock still at those words. The man had to be kidding. John Watson...or whatever his name was, was too young to be head of any department. Let alone the most depressing department in the entire hospital.

However, when he saw the badge on...James Wilson's lab coat he realised the man was telling the truth. Suddenly the six months of double clinic duty fell upon him. He didn't think that was one of Cuddy's empty threats.

"Dr Cuddy told me all about you" his remarked dryly

"Did she mention my dashing good look" House whipped a hand through his hair and gave his head a slight toss

House had expected a large number of snide comments or irritated responses. He was already mentally ordering what comebacks to use. However, much to his surprise the other doctor let out a bark of warm laughter. There was no mocking or insincerity behind it. Just an appreciative laugh.

"Actually what she said was that you were a sarcastic, rude genius. She also mentioned something about doubling your clinic duty if you tried to annoy me" he shook his head

"You going to go running to mummy because the big bad doctor tripped you up?" House put on his best patronising voice

He hoped that if he embarrassed the young doctor enough then he wouldn't go running to Cuddy. If that happened then he wouldn't even have to dig up some fake apology or creative scheme to avoid more clinic duty.

Dr. Whatever-His-Name-Was didn't answer but a sly smile crept across his face. The hawk eyes glinted predatorily. House recognised that expression all too well although he had only ever seen it in his own reflection. It was a knowing expression that held the promise of a secret plot.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Dr House"

An infuriating female voice barged into the diagnostics office where House stood - marker poised. He didn't look up from the whiteboard with its illegible list of symptoms scrawled across.

"I was under the impression that Dr Cuddy wanted me to save this patient" House frowned at the board

"I just wanted to say I think it was very nice of you to offer Dr Wilson to help out with some of Oncology's paperwork"

A tall woman with short midnight hair and high cheek bones grinned wickedly. Her intense brown eyes staring right at him. It stung to remember that those eyes once lit up just because they were in the same room. He was just about to reminisce when the woman's words registered.

"What?"

He didn't even do his own paperwork. Why the hell would he offer to help another department head with their paperwork? This was clearly the revenge for his cane stunt earlier.

"Stacy, House doesn't even do his own paperwork, Cameron does it for him. Why would he help another department?"

A man with a strong accent which was apparently Australian (although, House had decided that it was just a particularly odd brand of British) spoke up. His aquamarine eyes glanced sceptically at a petite brunette whose pale cheeks flushed.

Trust Chase to state the obvious. Naturally House wasn't going to do his own work. That was the only reason he'd allowed Dr Cuddy to order him to hire a "team". By team he meant people to do the things he shouldn't have to do. However, House did give Chase mental bonus points for embarrassing Cameron.

"Well that's not what Dr Wilson said. He tells me you're meeting him in his office at 3pm. Isn't that when you have clinic duty?" Stacey raised her eyebrows

Actually Stacey was right. 3pm was exactly when House was supposed to do clinic duty. However, that didn't make sense. Why would Wilson get him out of Cuddy's threatened punishment? House didn't like people which might be what Wilson was using against him. Still, given the choice of being bored out of his mind by: hundreds of idiots, who knew nothing of even basic first aid or one idiot who had a degree in medicine, he would pick the latter. Besides he was curious about Dr Wilson's revenge.

"It was his idea" he shrugged

Stacey didn't look like she believed him but that was her problem. He would have found a far more interesting way of escaping it. But if Wilson was giving him a "get out of clinic duty free" pass then House wasn't going to complain.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"It's about time" Wilson answered his office door with a mix of irritation and amusement

"Sorry, busy saving lives. Although, as an oncologist you probably can't relate to that" House limped in with a scowl

"Even oncologists have a duty to save lives. Just because we can't always doesn't mean it never happens"

He began to wonder how Wilson had succeeded in becoming Head of Oncology if he wasn't desensitized to death. Unless of course this was a very elaborate joke concocted by Cuddy and Stacey. He doubted it. Cuddy and Stacey had no sense of humour, besides, Chase evidently knew who Dr Wilson was and there was no way he would have the guts to lie to him. Foreman would, sometimes even lovesick Cameron would but not Chase. He was too much of a kiss-up to betray House.

He sat down on the couch and cast a look at the pile of papers sitting on Wilson's desk. His eyes widened as he saw the dates on the papers. He couldn't believe it because that meant Wilson was already...

"three weeks ahead? You're already three weeks ahead? But you've only been here one day" his eyes bulged

"I like to be prepared"

There was something wrong with Wilson's tone when he said that. House may loathe people but he knew a lot about them. Right now he noticed the waver in Wilson's voice when he said "prepared".

"You're lying" house muttered partially to himself

"Yes I'm 3 weeks ahead because I enjoy doing paperwork" Wilson answered sarcastically.

House appreciated sarcasm and understood it because he used it hourly. It was his first line of defence. You made the other person seem like an idiot by deflecting. For this reason House wasn't fooled.

"Your lab coat's pristine. That means it's been dry cleaned so that tells me that you care about your appearance and you want people to see that even though you're young you're still professional. You like to do your best. The odd part is you're wearing a wedding ring which makes me wonder why your wife didn't clean it for you."

House lay on the sofa twisting his cane as he thought out loud. He could feel Wilson's nerves practically screaming and begging him to drop the subject but he couldn't. Wilson had become an anomaly to him and anomalies needed to be solved.

"The only reason she wouldn't dry clean it is if she's dead and you're still too upset to take the ring off or...you guys were in a fight! And judging by your silence are still in a fight. That's why your still here! You're avoiding your wife"

House face emanated joy at solving the puzzle. That was until he noticed the man's expression. He looked...hopeless. House had just hit a very raw nerve. He had diagnosed Wilson's happy facade and stripped him of his cover.

For once House didn't get a sadistic pleasure out of seeing another human being in pain. Something in Wilson's eyes made him actually feel guilty. Maybe it was because he was currently working with his own ex-girlfriend that he felt some level of empathy. They had dated for five years for Christ's sake!

"Sorry" House muttered

"It was our anniversary. I forgot it. Since then things have just gotten worse" Wilson answered miserably

"You forgot her anniversary because you were with another woman" House translated

"Yes" he whispered cringing under House stare.

Wilson hadn't wanted to be alone. That was why he had arranged for House to keep him company instead of doing clinic duty. That at least answered the question of Wilson's mysterious revenge.

"You should go" Wilson muttered

"Yeah" House nodded noticing Wilson was fighting back tears.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"That will be $5.75, sir" a blonde bimbo giggled as she watched Dr Wilson fumble in his wallet

Then she looked up and started glaring. Wilson turned around surprised until he saw House barging through the cue with his signature limp. He stood next to Dr Wilson. He either didn't notice or didn't care about the angry people behind him.

"Ruben sandwich, dry, no fries and hold the pickles! Put it on his tab" he pointed at Wilson

Everyone expected Wilson to put up some sort of fuss about House expecting him to pay. However, he merely shrugged and pulled out an extra note from his pocket before handing it to the girl at the cash register.

House was surprised to find his legs sitting down at the same table as Wilson's. He never joined anyone at hospital for lunch, although in his early days as a cripple he had persuaded a few people to take pity on him and buy him lunch.

"How's your patient?" Wilson asked casually

"she had cardiac arrest in the middle of the night but the transplant was successful" House remarked

"I'm glad to hear that"

Wilson did sound genuinely glad to hear House's patient was better. What House hadn't told him was that the only purpose of the liver transplant was to buy (whatever the patients name was) time. So in actual fact the patient wasn't better. Even worse House wasn't anywhere closer to the answer.

"So do you want to go bowling or something after work?" Wilson hinted desperately

"We're not friends and I'm not going to be an excuse for you to avoid your marriage"

House sighed. Wilson seemed like an ok person but House wasn't good with people. That's why he generally avoided them. By avoiding people you avoid relationships and by avoiding relationships you avoid getting hurt.

Dr Wilson had heartbreak written all over him. His caring nature and handsome features were enough to have every head turning. However, those traits also meant Wilson would never be short of company. House didn't want to be with someone like that.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Damn! his vicodin was missing. It had been missing for hours. Actually it had been stolen for hours and House was pretty sure he knew who had taken it. Nobody liked him and nobody dared anger him (taking his vicodin was a sure way to anger House) so it had to be someone who benefited from him not being stoned and being focused on cases.

He slammed a paperweight over his hand in frustration. The paperweight had a sort of effect. It did diminish his leg pain/addict symptoms but unfortunately his hand was now killing him and he was even more furious than before.

"I need my vicodin"

House stormed into Cuddy's office stamping his cane pointedly. He was so livid he didn't even make a jab at how low cut her fuscia top was. Or any other sexist comments. No, only one thing was on his mind and that was getting his vicodin back.

"Jesus, House what happened to your hand?" she stared at his bruised and bleeding knuckles

"Slammed it in the desk draw" he replied testily

"Right, well I'm not writing you another prescription until you agree to cut down on the dosage" she sighed

House stormed out not casting so much as a glance at his boss.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Damn! his vicodin was missing. It had been missing for hours. Actually it had been stolen for hours and House was pretty sure he knew who had taken it. Nobody liked him and nobody dared anger him (taking his vicodin was a sure way to anger House) so it had to be someone who benefited from him not being stoned and being focused on cases.

He slammed a paperweight over his hand in frustration. The paperweight had a sort of effect. It did diminish his leg pain/addict symptoms but unfortunately his hand was now killing him and he was even more furious than before.

"I need my vicodin"

House stormed into Cuddy's office stamping his cane pointedly. He was so livid he didn't even make a jab at how low cut her fuscia top was. Or any other sexist comments. No, only one thing was on his mind and that was getting his vicodin back.

"Jesus, House what happened to your hand?" she stared at his bruised and bleeding knuckles

"Slammed it in the desk draw" he replied testily

"Right, well I'm not writing you another prescription until you agree to cut down on the dosage" she sighed

House stormed out not casting so much as a glance at his boss.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was a testament of House's pain that he took a trip to his least favourite place in the world. He darted into the exam room and ransacked the cupboards. Pulling out any painkillers and bandages he could find.

"House?"

He recognised that tender voice. As he turned around slowly he saw the familiar figure of Wilson. His hawk eyes filled with concern. Not pity. Just concern. It was the lack of pity that stopped him lashing out at Wilson.

"What happened to your hand?" Wilson approached cautiously

"Slammed it in a desk draw" he shrugged

"Let me take a look" his hand hovered above House's injured one awaiting permission.

"Just tape it off" he nodded.

He froze as he felt Wilson's warm fingers wander across his hand. Each movement was filled with care and compassion. There was a calm gentleness in every touch he made.

House hadn't let anyone since Stacy touch him. He didn't want to be a slave to that feeling again. When the feel of a touch left you it made you vulnerable. For House being touched was more addictive and all the more dangerous than vicodin. However, at this point in time House didn't have the capacity to stop Wilson.

"Well one thing's for certain, you didn't shut your hand in a desk draw"

He gazed at House with eyes that had so clearly seen through the lie. However, House was still lost in Wilson's touch. He was trying to ignore his own reactions: the shivers going down his spine, the rapid pulse rate, the sudden increase in room temperature...

"Cuddy thinks I'd function better without the vicodin. She's told all the staff not to write me any scripts until I tell her I'll agree to a lower dosage" House admitted

He was still waiting for Wilson to steal back his touch. Instead, Wilson squeezed tighter. A silent promise that he would help House. That House wouldn't have to suffer alone. Then slipped from his fingers like grains of sand

"Here. It's a lower dosage than you probably take but I'm not writing you any higher. It should stop you from hurting yourself" Wilson held out a script

House had pegged Wilson all wrong. Wilson was a man who put the needs of others before his own. However, he was not a man who he could push to fit his own agenda. Even more frightening was Wilson was a man he was unable to push away.

"Thanks" House mumbled

"No problem" Wilson turned to leave

"Wait, Wilson...Do you still want to go bowling?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Where are you going?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows at her husband's preening

"Out with a friend" Wilson sighed

"Which friend?" she continued

"Dr House, he's a diagnostician at the hospital"

He had to admit the constant questioning was becoming dull. He didn't exactly blame Bonnie for being suspicious. Hell! He didn't even trust himself. That was why he had been steering clear of the flirtatious nurses in his department. However, there was nothing wrong with spending time with House.

Bonnie was fixated on the idea that Wilson would have another affair. That was part of the reason why he'd been selfishly relieved when House had offered to pick him up from Wilson's home.

House didn't arrive until half an hour after he had said he would. Wilson wasn't really surprised about that - House didn't strike him as the kind of person to be on time for anything.

BEEP BEEP

Wilson leaned against the window pane. He broke into a smile when he spotted House sitting contentedly in a red corvette.

"Is he not coming in?" Bonnie asked disapprovingly

"Apparently not" Wilson chuckled before exiting the front door

There was probably something deeply wrong if he was getting pleasure out of the fact his wife didn't appear to like House. However, it did give him pleasure. House was a refreshing break from his controlled life. The man saw right through the crap and saw the real you.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Hey" Wilson slid into the car contentedly

"Was that your wife?" House indicated to the snooty woman slamming the door behind her

"Yeah" Wilson answered furtively

House nodded but didn't pursue the subject

He didn't like dealing with emotions, either in other people or himself. Wilson's marriage was clearly a very emotional topic. Besides House wanted to have fun today. That started with a high speed drive.

"Seriously man have you ever driven an automobile before? There are four gears, you know?" Wilson commented dryly as House ran a red light

"The '66 came with a shut up button!"

That got a roar of laughter from Wilson. House was beginning to realise that he loved hearing Wilson laugh. Chase laughed at his jokes only out of sycophancy. Stacey used to find them irritating but Wilson...Wilson genuinely enjoyed his sarcastic misanthropomorphic humour.

"Where did you even get this? I can't see you walking into a car shop and coming out with a corvette" Wilson winced as House attempted a Scandinavian flick

"mafia guy gave it to me...seriously" he smirked at Wilson's disbelieving expression

Oddly enough bowling with Wilson was a lot of fun. Bowling was one of the few sports cripples could still participate in with the hope of winning. He was surprised by the fact it didn't even bother him that Wilson won most of the games. Usually he would have sulked for the rest of the evening and claim Wilson cheated (...ok he still did that last part). House decided the reason he had enjoyed it was because he wasn't treated like a cripple. Wilson didn't cut him any slack and didn't hold back on competitively.

They stopped off at a diner on their way back. Laughing and talking about the latest hospital gossiping. Both debating whether Cameron and Chase were secretively sleeping together.

"Cameron's in love with you and Chase wouldn't risk his job for someone with so much emotional baggage. Relationships in the hospital are strictly forbidden" Wilson mused taking a bite of his BLT

"True but Cameron hasn't had any action since her husband died and Chase has been thinking about her since her sex kills comment" House countered ravaging his own burger

House conveniently disappeared when the bill arrived. That didn't bother Wilson in the slightest. He would happily pay for every meal House ate for the rest of his life if it involved a few more days like this.

He was extremely sorry to return to the corvette again. Knowing when he arrived back "home" he would be alone again with no one to make him laugh. No one to persist harmless banter with. No one to drop his pretence around. No one.

"And I don't want the world to see me,

Cause I don't think that they'd understand.

When everything's made to be broken,

I just want you to know who I am.

I just want you to know who I am.

I just want you to know who I am.

I just want you to know who I am"

The song blasted out of the radio unashamedly. For some reason that song had a profound effect on Wilson. He wanted to be invisible most of the time because that forced him to put on the charade. He wanted only to be seen if he could be seen and accepted for who he truly was.

House wouldn't admit it willingly but he loved music. For him, music was the only religion worth acknowledging. House wasn't particularly moved by this song but he was moved by Wilson's expression of pure bliss. For that reason he was glad that this was the song the radio decided to blast out.

House glanced across at Wilson as they pulled up outside the house knowing Wilson would have to face his unloved wife.

"I had fun" Wilson murmured shyly

"Same" House stared out of the window deliberately not looking at Wilson

"House?" he enquired tentatively

"Hm?" House stared at Wilson

"I...Nothing. I'll just see you at work"

Wilson exited the car bitterly resentful of himself. He wasn't sure what he had wanted to say but it hadn't been "see you at work". He hadn't wanted House to leave. He wanted to stay in that corvette under House's protection of truth.

He watched House drive away until he couldn't see even the tail lights of the corvette. He didn't even notice that Bonnie had stepped onto the porch and was watching him for any of his guilty tells.

"Had a nice night?" she wrapped her fluffy paisley dressing gown tightly around her

"They could build monuments to that man's self-centredness...But I enjoyed every second of it"


	11. Chapter 11

The entire hospital was in shock the next day. Dr House had arrived in the hospital early, despite the fact his patient was doing better (one of the rumours was that the girl had caught the black plague!) and had no new cases. House was in the hospital early for no particular reason as far as anyone could see.

Cuddy would never admit it but Dr House wasn't just the hospital's greatest asset but also someone she was fond of. For all his flaws Cuddy respected House's diagnostic ability and rather inappropriate humour.

However, she was extremely alarmed when Stacey entered her office with "The-House-Is-Up-To-Something" look. It was that look that gave Cuddy constant grief. It was also the reason she considered herself one of the most patient people in the hospital. No one else could govern House's antics.

"Greg's in the clinic"

It always bothered Cuddy when Stacey used House's first name. She knew that House didn't like being called by his first name by anyone. However, he always let Stacey get away with it. She knew it was because she was his ex-girlfriend but Cuddy didn't like the idea that someone she employed had a greater privilege than her. She had tried to use his first name once but he had simply ignored her and then put a heavy emphasis on using her first name for the entire week.

"Why are you complaining? That's where he should be right now" Cuddy shuffled her papers disinterestedly

"Exactly! In all the years House has spent at this hospital, when have you ever known him to come in early for work or do clinic duty without any complaints" Stacey insisted

Cuddy stiffened. Never! And House had done both in one day? Early was rare but there was usually an explanation for it (always involving either a patient or making someone at the hospital miserable). Clinic duty on time? That was unheard of without sufficient incentive (usually involving a bet of some sort). However, no amount of money could make House come into the clinic early. Cuddy wasn't even sure that detoxing from vicodin would persuade House to do clinic duty without complaint.

"I'll go check on him" Cuddy stood up wearily


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

House sat in the exam room looking at the two mandarin women (presumably mother and daughter) in front. He knew he had seen them yesterday. He also knew that the daughter was extremely stupid.

"She's been taking the decongestants, but she's not getting better, She... also says..." the daughter tailed off and glanced uncomfortably at her mother

"What?" House looked between the two

"Her boobs are bigger"

As if to prove her daughter's point the mother grabbed House's hand and placed it on her chest. House recoiled immediately as he felt the sudden increase the woman's breast size. That was a symptom not of pills to treat colds but of birth control...

"Wh... how could you get them mixed up? They come in a little wheel, they don't look anything like decongestants" House rolled his eyes

"Oh god, the cashier put them both in the same bag, I thought they gave her the right ones" she replied flustered

The woman turned to her daughter and asked a question in mandarin. House didn't know the translation for what the woman was saying. However, even without the shifty look House understood what her daughter was saying.

"No, you gave her the wrong pills" he frowned

"You speak Mandarin?" the daughter's embarrassment and surprise amused House

"I can count to ten and ask to go to the bathroom and..."

A sly look spread across his face. He didn't like people trying to deceive him (especially stupid teenage girls!). No, House knew one phrase of mandarin that guaranteed revenge on any girl.

Sure enough as he uttered the curse of mandarin the woman turned to her daughter in horror. She looked her up and down clearly appalled. The daughter was horrified to hear what House had said.

"I'm not pregnant! We haven't even done it yet!" the daughter squealed

The two descended into a full scale argument. The mother's tone was becoming increasingly panicked and the girl was angrily arguing back. The mother dragged her daughter out by the wrist, enraged. Leaving House in a quiet exam room.

"I see your still insulting our patients"

Cuddy sauntered into the exam room as House looked up. She analysed him closely in a way House usually did to other people. As far as she could see there were no physical symptoms.

"Love the shirt! It says I'm professional but still a woman...actually it sort of yells the last part" House snickered

Well if House was still traumatising patients and making sexist comments then his problem wasn't neurological. Although, if any psychiatrists ever had the misfortune to meet House then they might argue House had a permanent neurological problem from the day he was born. That wasn't an issue though! As far as Cuddy was concerned he was no more insane today than he was yesterday.

"Everyone's wondering why you came into work early and did clinic duty without complaint" Cuddy stated tapping her far-too-high-heels.

"Well everyone should mind their own business" House countered defensively

"Is it because you want your vicodin back?" Cuddy challenged

"Obviously"

Obviously that wasn't true. Wilson had been prescribing him low dosages of vicodin to stop him going insane but Cuddy didn't need to know that. It wasn't worth mentioning when it was a lot lower than House would have liked. But if it kept the detox at bay he was willing to take it until Cuddy let him have his regular dosage back.

"Fine I'll let you have your old dosage back but stop taking advantage of our new Oncology Head. His job is not to prescribe you drugs behind my back or to pay for your food" she told him exasperatedly

"Really? Nobody told me that" he feigned surprise

"Just get back to work, House" she sighed exiting


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"And one Ruben sandwich, dry, no fries and hold the pickles!" Wilson ordered when he saw House approaching him at the cafeteria line.

"See this is why Cuddy thinks I take advantage of you" House rolled his eyes irritably

"This is fun, it's like Password. Keep talking, I'll jump in when I get a clue what the hell you're talking about" Wilson sighed paying for the food

"Cuddy thinks I'm taking advantage of you because you write me vicodin prescriptions and pay for my food - I can't wait for her to find out you know my order, she'll be thrilled" House groaned

"Is that why you hang around me?" Wilson asked startled

House didn't want to answer that. He didn't want to admit to himself just how much he enjoyed Wilson's company. If he told himself that he was only doing it for viodin and food then he was safe. As soon as he admitted that wasn't the reason then it would mean acknowledging that he was starting to care about another human being, if he did that he then became vulnerable to hurt all over again.

"Not the only reason. The question is why do you hang around with me" House mused

"I hang around you because my whole life is one big compromise. I tiptoe around everyone like they're made of china. I spend all my time analysing: what will the effect be if I say this? Then there's you. You're a reality junkie. If I offered you a comforting lie, you'd smack me over the head with it. It's a nice change" Wilson hung his head waiting for the mocking to begin

"For me, it the whole misery loves company feeling. No one wants to be alone even if they pretend otherwise" House whispered as they sat down at the table

"True...Want to come over later to watch old movies and cry?"

That was why House liked Wilson. They could have a truly sentimental moment and not be embarrassed because it was so easy to turn it into a joke. He could be honest without it being turned into a bad chick-flick scene. Not the rude honest he always was but the genuine honesty he hid.

"Sorry Monster Trucks is on" House took a bite of his sandwich

"Ah! yes, Our dear Grave Digger never disappoints" a twinkle appeared in Wilson's eyes

"You watch monster trucks?" his jaw dropped

"When my wife's at work" Wilson shrugged

House almost choked on his lunch. He hadn't expected someone as straight-laced as Wilson to know anything about monster trucks - let alone House's favourite team, Grave Digger.

"She at work tonight?" House asked stealing some of Wilson's crisps

"Not on Christmas. You want to come over for Christmas dinner?" Wilson enquired hesitantly

"You're Jewish" House asked suspiciously

"Fine Hanukkah dinner. What do you care its food, its people?" Wilson persisted

"You had me until people" House declined

"Maybe I'll come to your place" he looked at House seeking permission

"Your wife doesn't mind being alone at Christmas?" he asked sceptically

"I'm a doctor she's used to be alone" Wilson evaded

House gave him a look that said he wasn't buying a word of that crap. He knew the real reason Wilson wanted to be with him on Christmas. Wilson knew that House knew.

"I don't want to talk about" Wilson stated bluntly

"Neither do I...expect a monster truck marathon at six"

Wilson broke into a smile when he heard that. Time with House was time deeply treasured by Wilson. He considered them to be friends in a way, although he knew that it might not be the right time to mention that to House. He would bolt if he thought Wilson gave a damn and Wilson didn't want House to bolt.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Is that House and Dr Wilson?" Cameron whispered to Cuddy as she stood behind her in the cue

"They've been like that all week"

Cameron nearly jumped when she heard Stacey come up behind her. The surprise still wasn't enough to stop her shooting a withering look at her. If House hadn't forgiven Stacey for ruining his life then Cameron hadn't either. It wasn't right that she had overruled House's medical decision and then left him to cope on his own.

"I did tell House to stop bothering our head of oncology" Cuddy moaned

"Since when has House listened to anything anyone tells him?"

Cuddy may be oblivious but judging by Stacey's tone she had seen exactly what Cameron had. House was smiling. Not a vindictive smile or an arrogant smile. No, Dr Gregory House was smiling a contented smile. He suddenly seemed much younger and gentler.

Cameron wondered if House had smiled like that when he'd lived with Stacey. If that was the reason she had been so cold when she'd seen a happy House. Or if it was the fact that she realised she wasn't so special and that other people appreciated House's jokes and intelligence.

"He's not bothering Dr Wilson at all. Look they're both...laughing"

Cameron's words surprised Cuddy. For sure enough, House's peaceful expression did not seem to be vicodin induced. He was actually taking pleasure in the company of another human being. Even more surprising was that another human being was taking pleasure in House's company. Whatever the reason, Cameron was right. They were both contented.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When Wilson pulled up outside House's apartment, it looked dark but he could see a flickering in the window indicating that House was watching TV. He took a deep breath before getting out the car and going in the building. He wasn't really sure what he was expecting. However, he knocked on the door hesitantly.

"Door's open!"

Wilson smirked as he entered. He doubted that even if House wasn't a cripple that he would answer the door. Although, it did make him wonder what would happen if it had been somebody else other than himself. Somebody could have easily attacked House in his own home.

"You're half an hour early. Monster Trucks won't be on until six'"

House was sat at a piano, his fingers idly tracing the keys to a mellow tune that was clearly just something buzzing in House's head. A still full whisky glass was on the top of the piano. He couldn't help noticing that one of the piano legs was being propped up by a Bible.

"Unlike you I like to be on time for things"

Wilson flopped onto House's extremely comfortable couch. Listening to House's soft playing. He reached for a beer that House had evidently left out for him. Very House: smart enough to give beer but not polite enough to offer beer. It was then he recognised the song House was playing.

"The song in the car?" Wilson asked excitedly

House nodded. He was secretly pleased that Wilson had recognised it. He wouldn't admit it even under detox but he had learnt that song just so he could see Wilson's expression light up. Light up like it had in the car. Light up like it was right now.

Wilson let his own fingers wander across the key board. He didn't actually play the piano and he'd sort of murdered House's attempt to recreate the song he'd heard in the corvette. Yet that didn't stop him. Playing with House made him feel a deeper connection. As if they were having their own private conversation.

House stopped playing as he felt Wilson's hand brush over his. He was instantly taken back to that moment when Wilson had examined him in the clinic. The gentleness in his touch. The caring seeping from him. The way his touch lingered...and didn't leave.

House realised that Wilson hadn't moved. He gazed into those beautiful hawk eyes that were filled with promises and understanding. The way they watched House was as if he were trying to read his thoughts.

An uncontrollable sense of desire exploded between them. Electricity powered through them. Their lips crashed into each other with a longing. It started slow and shy. Both appeared to be awaiting for the other to pull away but neither man did.

The kisses became raw and fierce. However, House could still taste Wilson's care and consideration. Wilson could feel the precision and intensity he had come to associate with House. Their fingers twisted and tangled in their hair as they fought for entrance into the others mouth. Their arms snake around each other fumbling with the clothing as they moved in closer to each other. Each uttering languages of burning pleasure.

"Bedroom?" Wilson whispered

House nodded allowing Wilson to help him lead the way. All logic skipped happily out of the window. Screw the fact that Wilson was married. Damn that House feared emotional commitment. Ignore the rules that forbade Hospital Employees dating.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Dr House"

A petite brunette with a young school girl appearance scurried to catch up with him. Her dark eyes narrowed with concern.

"I'm not taking any new cases no matter what Cuddy threatens or promises. One case at a time" House stated before she could open her mouth

"Actually it's about Dr Wilson" she frowned

"He wants me to take a case?" House asked deliberately missing the point

"No. He hasn't come in and it's not like him to be late" she bit her lip nervously

Crap! House had a sneaky suspicion that this might have something to do with what happened last night. He deliberately left early this morning just so he could avoid talking to him. He wasn't really a morning person but he was even less of a feelings person...

"He hasn't been in all day?" House established

"No and Cuddy's going nuts" Cameron added worriedly

Couldn't Wilson go missing later? General Hospital was going to start in 10minutes! Damn!

"I'll go look for him; you try and keep Cuddy from firing his sorry ass"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"WILSON!" House hammered away at the door.

No answer.

That didn't surprise House. If Wilson really was mad at him then he was hardly going to answer the door just because House was yelling.

Hm.

Wilson didn't look like the kind of person to leave a key lying around. However, his wife did. She looked like the kind of person who would have one hidden away somewhere completely predictable.

After five minutes of rummaging through flower pots he came across a large silver key. That fitted easily into the door.

BINGO!

He was in.

He wondered vaguely why his lackey's moaned so much about House ordering them to break into their patient's houses. Honestly, it was really very easy to do. Especially, if they were stupid enough to hide it in one of the most obvious places they can think of.

He shut the door behind him.

He climbed up the stairs.

"House? What the hell are you doing?" Wilson bellowed from the banister

Another (stupider) doctor might have mistaken Wilson's red puffy eyes for the start of a nasty cold. However, House was not fooled. He knew that it was the wrestling of Wilson's confusion that made him look ill.

"Your wife in?" House glanced around as he climbed further up the steps

"No she's at work" he answered guiltily

"And why aren't you at work?" House stood directly in front of Wilson

"I would have thought that was obvious" Wilson clenched his fists

As far as House was concerned it was not obvious. Actually as far as anyone but Wilson was concerned it was completely unobvious. House knew it was something to do with last night but there were a string of reasons that he wouldn't come to work he just wanted to know which one.

"If it was obvious I wouldn't be here" he pointed out calmly

"You weren't there when I woke up. You deliberately left early so you wouldn't have to talk to me" Wilson tried to hide the hurt

Of course! The one time House does something marginally nice. The one time he lets someone have a way out it blows up in his face. Typical, that Wilson would take it completely the wrong way.

"Listen idiot, I left early because I didn't know how you'd react. If you regretted it and I wasn't there then we could pretend it never happened and if it didn't...well we'd work from there" House shrugged

"You don't regret last night?" his voice was hoarse

"No...do we need to talk?" House hesitated knowing the answer

"I think we do"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Thank God!" Cuddy ran towards the two men who were walking through the corridors amicably laughing

"Why hello Dr Cuddy fancy meeting you here" House smirked

"Cut the crap House. You both put this hospital in serious jeopardy just now" she snapped

"What do you mean?" Wilson squeaked guiltily

Cuddy couldn't know. They would both be in serious trouble if their boss knew what had happened between them.

"I mean, I had 2 department heads missing. Foreman's already tried to persuade me to give him your department and I'm running out of reasons for why I shouldn't" she snarled glaring at House

Both doctors breathed out a silent sigh of relief. There were some hospital rules even House didn't flout. There were no rules Wilson liked breaking. The two doctors had made a vow never to utter their secret out loud. They had promised both each other and themselves that their secret would never interfere with their lives.

"Hey don't take it out on me! I just went to find your boy wonder oncologist" House idly played with his cane

"Good point! Where were you this morning Dr Wilson?" she turned her steely glare towards him

Wilson wanted to throttle House right there and then. He couldn't lie as freely as House. It ate away at him until he confessed. That was what had happened with Bonnie anyway.

"My wife wasn't feeling very well, I'm sorry Dr Cuddy I'll make sure to be on time in the future" Wilson mumbled shuffling his feet awkwardly

"Good! And House? I expect to see you in the clinic in the next five minutes...GO!" she ordered.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chase listened at the door.

He should not have heard whatever it was that he had heard. Really the only thing he was certain of was that he had heard both House and Wilson's voices. Everything else had been just been a whirl of ambiguous silent didn't think he was wrong though. Oh God he had to be wrong.

Chase admired House greatly; the man was a true genius. He wasn't a likeable person and he liked to make everyone's lives a living hell but that was who he was. He didn't care what people thought about him and he didn't care for people.

However, House had sounded so different just then. His voice was warmer and Chase could almost see the piercing blue eyes sparkle. His laughter had lacked malice or bitterness. No this was a House who had a happy and playful charm, as opposed to his teenage moodiness that normally carried through the halls.

Chase suddenly realised that if House came out of the exam room and saw him then happy House would be replaced with very unhappy House. He therefore decided to leave and mull over this information privately.

Chase returned to find Cameron and Foreman were sitting at the diagnostics table reading the file of a patient they were going to attempt to persuade House to take. Well, Cameron and Foreman were looking at the file; Chase was looking out of the window and onto the balcony.

The fact that the Head of Oncology's office was next to Diagnostic's had been a serious problem before now. House used to take a disturbing pleasure in breaking into the office and "helping" lessen the amount of files on the desk. This had not been appreciated previously.

Wilson was not like the other Oncology Heads. He wasn't afraid of getting close to patients and risking getting hurt nor was he afraid of House's little games. Wilson loved to help people and House's childish pranks kept the pain of losing his patients at bay.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Chase listened at the door.

He should not have heard whatever it was that he had heard. Really the only thing he was certain of was that he had heard both House and Wilson's voices. Everything else had been just been a whirl of ambiguous silent didn't think he was wrong though. Oh God he had to be wrong.

Chase admired House greatly; the man was a true genius. He wasn't a likeable person and he liked to make everyone's lives a living hell but that was who he was. He didn't care what people thought about him and he didn't care for people.

However, House had sounded so different just then. His voice was warmer and Chase could almost see the piercing blue eyes sparkle. His laughter had lacked malice or bitterness. No this was a House who had a happy and playful charm, as opposed to his teenage moodiness that normally carried through the halls.

Chase suddenly realised that if House came out of the exam room and saw him then happy House would be replaced with very unhappy House. He therefore decided to leave and mull over this information privately.

Chase returned to find Cameron and Foreman were sitting at the diagnostics table reading the file of a patient they were going to attempt to persuade House to take. Well, Cameron and Foreman were looking at the file; Chase was looking out of the window and onto the balcony.

The fact that the Head of Oncology's office was next to Diagnostic's had been a serious problem before now. House used to take a disturbing pleasure in breaking into the office and "helping" lessen the amount of files on the desk. This had not been appreciated previously.

Wilson was not like the other Oncology Heads. He wasn't afraid of getting close to patients and risking getting hurt nor was he afraid of House's little games. Wilson loved to help people and House's childish pranks kept the pain of losing his patients at bay.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Has House seemed...odd to you?" the three suddenly looked up to see Stacey standing before them

So he wasn't the only one who had noticed a change of behaviour in his boss. It looked like Stacey suspected something was going on too. For all her words about being over House she still turned green if anyone so much as glanced at him. Now because she was miserable without House, she wanted him to be miserable without her. It was plain to all that Wilson was stopping House being miserable.

"No odder than usual. He seems happier since Dr Wilson arrived here; I don't think I've seen him happier with anyone else, why?"

Chase bit back a laugh. Part of the laugh was because of Cameron's not-so-subtle jibe at House and Stacey's relationship. The other part was because Cameron had no idea of how close she was to (what Chase considered) the truth about House and Wilson.

"What about you, Chase? You chat to all the gossipy nurses, don't you?" Stacey leered at him

Chase wondered whether to share his exciting suspicion with them or keep it to himself. Sure, it would be fun to gossip about it but at what price? If Cameron knew she'd be devastated and Foreman would take complete advantage of it. Neither one would be able to keep it to themselves. Foreman and Stacey would instantly run to Cuddy and Chase would be left with an upset Cameron.

"If something's going on with House then I haven't heard about it"

For all his faults House deserved to be happy. Whatever was going on didn't change his opinion of either doctor. Of course, if it was going to impact his career he'd screw them both over in a heartbeat. For now, all their "relationship" was doing was making going to work easier and much more pleasant.

Stacey didn't bother asking Foreman. Either Cameron and Chase really hadn't heard anything or they weren't telling. If Cameron and Chase hadn't heard then Foreman certainly wouldn't have and if Cameron and Chase weren't telling then Foreman definitely wouldn't tell (unless he gained from it but if he gained from telling her he would have already said something).


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Are you going out again tonight?" Bonnie asked needlessly as she watched her husband dither between ties

"Yes, I'm meeting him at his place" he didn't look at her

"And are you and House meeting anyone else...maybe another colleague" she pressed apprehensively

"It's just going to be me and House at his place. We'll just be watching monster trucks or something" He brushed his hair agitatedly

"Staying the night again?"

Wilson's mouth felt far too dry. He felt bad about deceiving her because he had already put her through enough already. Try as he might to ignore it, Wilson did have a very guilty conscience. Normally, that would have had him running back to his wife and leaving the affair entirely but things were different with House. Wilson didn't have the physical capacity to walk away from him.

"Yes" he closed his eyes

"James...I love you" in the mirror Wilson could see her eyes watering

"I know"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

They never got onto the part about watching monster trucks. They simply lay in House's bed exploring every contour of the others body.

House's hand had begun to explore the skin along his throat and chest. Wilson whimpered as he felt House's lips trace down his throat lustfully. He ran a string of butterfly kisses down his neck, finishing by teasing his collar bone through his shirt. Wilson nibbled on House's nibbled earlobe in response.

He let House prize his tie away from his throat without any resistance. The only time he tensed was as House's hands reached up to un-button his shirt and let it hang loose as his sides. His breath did physically catch when he felt House smooth his hands along his mid-section stroke slowly downwards.

However, he wasn't going to let House have all the fun. He hooked his fingers under the waistband of House's briefs and tugged them down to the floor to join his trousers. Wilson grinned as he heard House's rapid breathing. That was always a good sign. House rarely spoke when they were intimate but the rapid breathing was his equivalent of a string of "Oh My God's".

Wilson let out a strangled cry as House thrust in deep. His hands reached out blindly to grip House's shoulders. Wilson was panting now, and House hadn't even begun to move inside him. He could taste House's smirk pressed against his lips. House's lips parted and Wilson took advantage, delving his tongue inside House's eager mouth. House's tongue met him there and they entwined together.

RATA-TAT-TAT

"Leave it" House ordered gruffly

"House we're doctors: it could be important"

Reluctantly Wilson removed himself from House's body and disentangled himself from the sheets. He felt a cold chill hit him as he got up. He gritted his teeth to force himself not to dive back under the covers.

"Let's say it is important, which I'll bet you a week off vicodin it isn't, then how do you plan on explaining to the person knocking why you're running about my house naked?" House raised a cocky eyebrow

"Shit, you're right!...Look, whoever it is isn't going away, so can you please answer the door while I get changed" he pleaded

"Fine"

House was secretly now looking forward to yelling at whoever had intruded on his and Wilson's time together. It couldn't be that important as House already had one case to deal with and no one else knew Wilson was here so it couldn't be any of his patients. House promised himself that if the knocker didn't have someone dying in the most interesting way the human race he'd ever seen then the knocker would be the one dying in not just the most interesting way but also in the most painful way.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Yes?" House slammed the door open

"Hello, I'm Mrs Wilson are you Dr House" the knocker stared at him nervously

"Wilson's wife" he struggled to keep the contempt from his tone

"Yes, is he here?"

House was seriously angry that Wilson's wife felt she had the right to so much as knock on the door, let alone address House on any issue, especially any issue regarding Wilson. He was sorely tempted to yell at her but he didn't want to risk Wilson running to the rescue of his wife and leaving House alone.

"Wilson! You owe me a week's worth of vicodin" House yelled into the hallway

"What?"

Wilson came out into the doorway. His wife almost burst into tears of relief when she saw her husband standing in front of her. He did look slightly dishevelled and was wearing, what she presumed, were House's pyjamas but there was evidently no one besides the two of them.

"Bonnie, what are you doing here?" he asked startled

"It's Hector" she breathed out heavily

"Is he ok?" Wilson asked alarmed

"Who's Hector?" House's ears pricked

"My dog. What's wrong with him?" Wilson frowned

"They're saying we can't have pets in the building" Bonnie wailed

"Calm down" Wilson soothed hurriedly

"For Christ sakes! Stop whining it's just a dog"

Wilson had an overwhelming desire to smack House for saying something unbelievably tactless. For a genius House could say some pretty stupid things. Anyway, regardless of his feelings for House he did owe Bonnie some loyalty. She was his wife after all.

"I'm sure House wouldn't mind taking him for a little while" Wilson smirked slyly at him

"What?" House asked stunned

"You could handle it and it's not like I wouldn't be coming over to help. It's just a dog after all" Wilson fought back laughter as he saw House's jaw drop

"You'd really do that? That's so kind of you. How can I ever repay you?" she threw her arms around him

"You can start by letting us go back to sleep" House growled

"Fine. I'll do that. Thank you so much. Goodnight sweetheart"

She gave House an extra squeeze and kissed Wilson on the cheek before she left.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Right, start telling me what's so special about this damn dog and why I have to have him" House slammed the door behind him.

He wouldn't admit it but he was stung from seeing Bonnie kiss Wilson. She may be legally married to the man but House was the person Wilson wanted to spend his time with. House's brain was trying to tell him that he didn't care which of them Wilson preferred but his heart was tutting away loudly and listing all the reasons he cared about Wilson.

"You heard Bonnie, our flat's not letting us keep pets anymore" Wilson flopped onto the sofa

"Yeah, yeah, but why do I have to have it" House sat down beside him

"Firstly he's a he and as a doctor I have checked. The reason you have to have him is because I know it'll drive you crazy and I want to be able to be around Hector when I come home"

Wilson's ears burned as he realised what he had just said. He considered House's place a home. His home. Which it was in a way. He spent all his time here, his stuff was all here and he felt happiest here.

House pretended to ignore Wilson's slip of the tongue

"You still haven't told me what's so special about the dog" he grumbled popping down 3 vicodin

"My parents got him from a shelter for me and Bonnie as wedding present" Wilson rolled his eyes

"In case it's escaped your attention, I'm not interested in your connection with Bonnie" House answered disgruntledly

"Fair enough but Hector is the best thing about our marriage. If Bonnie ever gives me a divorce then the only thing we'll be a fight over is who has Hector" Wilson sighed

"Fine. I'll take the dog but I won't be responsible for any liability"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The next morning was bright with sunshine streaming through candy floss clouds. The blue sky stretched blissfully onwards punctuated by the black silhouettes of birds flying across it.

The day was perfect. The weather was gorgeous. He had enjoyed the delicious taste of macadamia pancakes (courtesy of Wilson's cooking kills). Even more delicious had been the taste of Wilson in the morning. Nothing could ruin his day...

"Over here"

A flamboyantly dressed young man was leaning against House's prized corvette. He was flicking through what Wilson recognised as House's newspaper.

"And you are?" Wilson asked glaring at the young man

"Kalvin. I'm Dr House's new patient" he beamed

"Dr Wilson, I want you to meet my stalker" House groaned

"Your waiting room sucks. Do all doctors ignore the patients?" Kalvin grinned

"No, just him" Wilson smiled wearily

"As I have repeatedly told you on the phone I am not treating you" House shot both Wilson and Calvin a disgusted look

"What, because you're a closet-case?" he gave them a pointed look

Wilson turned a deep shade of scarlet. He knew that there was no way anyone at the hospital knew about them and there was no way anyone his wife knew about them. However, it still made him uneasy when a complete stranger picked up on the vibes.

"Err... we're not... err... together" Wilson stammered stupidly

House suppressed hysterical laughter. Wilson was incredibly cute when he was flustered. If he were telling the truth, he'd say he was equally unnerved that this man was commenting with far too much certainty on their sexuality. However, he was better at handling inappropriate remarks.

"He is so self-loathing. Well we've got to go now, so maybe I'll see you after work...or maybe not I might be busy"

House gave Wilson a cheeky wink that left poor Wilson wishing the pavement would swallow him up. It didn't help that as House snatched his newspaper away from Kalvin he got an amused look.

"No no no! Ah... nobody can figure out what's wrong with me" Kalvin pushed a file into House hands.

He didn't even bother glancing at the file the man had given him. The man's shirt clung too loose and was gaping at the collar so that meant he had lost a lot of weight. His skin was shining which meant he was sweating and had a fever. Finally, add in the shortness of breath and the KS lesion and the diagnosis was...

"You're HIV positive; you've progressed to full-blown AIDS. So you're sick because your immune system is shot and someone sneezed on you am I excused now?" he shoved the file back to Kalvin

"Brilliant, but, my immune system is fine" he grabbed House's cane

"Your concentration and physique begs to differ. Get your T-cell count re-checked" House tried to pry the cane from his grip

"I've already done that"

Wilson was trying hard not to find it ridiculously entertaining watching a cantankerous cripple and an afflicted AIDs victim play tug of war with House's cane. It was even more captivating to note how serious they were taking it.

"All of this will be fascinating to an HIV specialist. Now let go of my cane before it becomes your new boyfriend" House threatened

"Honey, I will marry it if you would look at my file" Kalvin said in his most desperately seductive voice

"Congress says you can't, so..."

They both continued pulling at the cane until House suddenly let go. Kalvin did finally release the cane from his grasp but unfortunately fell back against House's prized corvette. Not to mention, setting the alarm off as he did so. This wouldn't have been too bad if the man wasn't struggling to breathe as he started falling further onto the pavement.

"I didn't touch him" House stated, utterly shocked

"He's going into anaphylactic shock" Wilson knelt down and checked Kalvin's pupils.

They exchanged a look of alarm.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"You gave the guy an anaphylactic shock?" Foreman cackled

"He was already ill before that" Wilson defended

He wasn't used to being part of differential's in House department. So far it seemed to involve them: arguing, stating the obvious, stating the ridiculous and needling away at each other. It was unorthodox but House's reputation was proof that it worked so Wilson didn't complain.

"Wilson test for T-cell lymphoma, Cameron do a blood panel, Chase and Foreman x-ray his chests to see if there's an old infection lurking about. God this case is going to be dull"

Cameron grabbed Chase by the arm when Foreman and House exited, arguing about the differential. Foreman was giving reason why House's diagnosis had to be wrong. House was giving reasons why Foreman was an idiot (with a few racist chucked in for bonus points).

"Are you coming?" she gave a quizzical look

"Yeah" Chase replied absently

"Is everything ok?" she slipped her hand in his

"For us? yeah" he stroked her hand with his thumb

"There is no us, remember?" she spoke worriedly

"I was talking about us as in House's lackeys: you, me and Foreman" he smiled at her

"Oh. Right!" she blushed


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"He's negative for T-cell lymphoma" Wilson wandered into exam room one unsurprised to see House playing on his Gameboy with no patient

"I thought it would be. The chest x-ray will show that it's just an old infection and then we can put him on steroids" House shrugged

Wilson moved in close to him disingenuous smile lighting up his handsome boyish face.

House turned upwards to face Wilson and smirked. He caught hold of Wilson's head by hair and ears, and kissed his mouth ravenously. Wilson wrapped his arms around House's neck and kissed him back hungrily. House respond by playing with Wilson's tie.

They were rather rudely interrupted by an uncertain knock on the door. This time Wilson was moaning with annoyance. It wasn't fair for someone to intrude on his break (or as Wilson called it "House Time").

"Come in" Wilson called straightening himself up


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Chase and Cameron stood in the doorway. For once it was Cameron that looked composed and Chase was the one looking a bit pink. He suddenly became very interested in his lab coat which caused Cameron to give him a confused look.

"What!" House growled

"We did the chest x-ray" Chase ran his fingers through his blonde surfer style hair

"And?" House stated irritably

"His lungs are too scarred to tell which infection triggered the immune reconstitution. He's clearly a smoker and not just cigarettes, his tox screen shows evidence of recreational drug use" Cameron finished for him

Chase wouldn't look at either of them. The room suddenly felt very claustrophobic. It was as if it had only been designed for those to and Chase didn't belong. He knew that he'd intruded on a moment between them. Which made giving news on their patient's health (or lack of it!) awkward.

"Not medically relevant. What are his most recent infections?" House snapped

"Doesn't matter he's coughing up blood. That's not a sign of immune reconstruction"

Wilson knew when he saw that expression of budding curiosity that "House Time" was over. Nothing could trump House's interest in a new puzzle. A horny Wilson was certainly no exception to that. So when House left without a word of goodbye he wasn't surprised. He was disappointed. However, he knew House would be back soon.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Cameron walked out of the office and nearly bumped into Stacey. She gave her a smile which Cameron returned with a glare. She didn't trust Stacey. Even if she wasn't House's ex-girlfriend she wouldn't have liked her. There had always been something "off" about her. Something that was wrong.

House was too preoccupied to notice the exchange between Cameron and his ex-girlfriend. He was ranting to them about whether they should reconsider drugs and reasons why they couldn't. Then proceeding to shoot down their theories of: Wegener's granulomatosis, KS in the lungs and Kaposi's Syndrome.

However, she was too busy pondering the change in their current working environment. Since Wilson had joined her boss had been in a better mood and she was secretly hoping that his change in character would lead to a date. She had planned to try and persuade him this afternoon but she was starting to become wary of the way Chase was acting.

She had a good enough relationship with Chase to know that, for all his stupid suggestions during differentials, Chase was very observant. She had been too embarrassed with her misinterpretation of Chase's us to continue her questions. That didn't stop her from knowing he was hiding something.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Hiding in a coma patient's room? is there anything you won't do to get out of clinic duty?" Stacey sashayed into the room

"hmmmm. No" House grinned

"I'd forgotten how funny you were" she sat beside him tossing back her midnight hair

At first he thought Stacey was being intentionally cruel by messing with his emotions. Then he realised there were no emotions for her to mess with. There were no butterflies and no pain that his vicodin couldn't ease. He never thought he'd say it but he truly was over her.

"Well as you haven't spoken more than 3 words to me since last year I guess it can't be my fault" he shrugged

"No one can speak more than 3 words to you before wanting to strangle you" she tittered

"Wilson can. Wilson thinks I'm very funny" childish petulance streaked his tone

Stacey wasn't impressed. It appeared that Wilson had touched House in a way that even she hadn't achieved. Sure, she'd loved House and she knew that House had cared about her (love was always questionable with House). Yet Wilson seemed to have chipped away at the walls House surrounded himself with. It just wasn't fair.

It should have been Stacey who House let in completely. It wasn't right that House was able to move on and continue to get on with life. Stacey's life had been stolen by Mark Warner, a man she could never love. While, the only man she would ever love was no longer heartbroken in her presence. That was what hurt the most. House had pushed away the few that cared about him and lost the grace in his mobility. Still he was happier than her.

"Yes I think he's the best oncology head we've ever had. He's good with people. He's even good with you. Then again, Wilson's driven to help everyone. He gets a kick out of saving people so maybe that's it" Stacey mused

"You think Wilson's trying to save me?" House let out a lemon sweet laugh

"It's not like he doesn't have a messiah-complex. From what I hear he's had a lot of affairs and relationships. All the nurses confirm that everyone women he's been with has had her own tragic story." Stacey shrugged

Stacey's words hurt. Not because they were insulting but because he feared they were true. Wilson was famous for running to the rescue of damsel's in distress. It made sense that he would sleep with a lonely cripple.

"Wilson likes me because I give him the balance between the niceness and having fun" House insisted – more to himself than to Stacey.

"Of course. I wasn't saying Wilson doesn't like you. Clearly he feels good about himself when he's around you"

The seed of doubt had finally taken root inside of his mind. Wilson was willing to betray his wife because he felt House needed him more. That was why Wilson had his last affair. He'd told House as much. Wilson's wife had been depressed about her sister dying and felt unable to cope with life. This was the cue for Wilson to put on his trusty lab coat and sit beside her, while taking away all the pain by doing her daily tasks and healing her wounded heart with unbelievable sex. Now his wife was handling life and becoming independent, Wilson needed another charity case.

"I should go I've got clinic duty"


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

House sent a patient who had turned orange away with a tad more resentment than usual. The moron was orange from consuming ridiculous amounts of mega-vitamins and carrots. That wasn't even the really stupid part of it. The patient's wife was having an affair and he hadn't even noticed.

"Hi House I thought you might need rescuing from the clinic" Wilson poked his head around exam room 1

"I don't need you to rescue me from anything" he spoke quietly

"You mean you're choosing to continue with clinic duty?" Wilson asked shocked

"You don't believe me?" House raised his eyebrows

"No it's just if you are telling the truth then I have to deal with the horsemen, the rain of fire and the end of days" Wilson mocked

"Are you coming over to avoid your wife or for the sex?" House established

"No and it's not all about sex, House" he said taken aback

"Really? Since when did that change?"

If one thing was true of House it was that he knew where to stick his cane. He'd drive the wooden insult through the rawest nerve without even a thought. Wilson had reprimanded House on the countless amounts of occasions House wacked people with his most insensitive comments. However, other than stripping away Wilson's facade and exposing his charade of a marriage, House had never bruised his heart. Until now. Wilson had never thought it was possible for House to hurt him like he did right then.

"Go to hell!" Wilson bit back the choke in his voice


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Chase, Cameron and Foreman were all disappointed to see their boss in such a foul mood. He hadn't even been this bad before Wilson came here. They all realised that whatever had upset House had something to do with Wilson. However, even armed with this knowledge, none of them had the guts to ask him about it. They could feel House clinging onto the last thread of control he had left.

Their suspicions were confirmed when they saw House's face shoot death glares at him. Wilson was talking to Debbie from accounting. Debbie was generally considered to be the prettiest nurse in the hospital. Despite, House's preference for brunettes, he was able to acknowledge just how beautiful a woman she was.

"Hey! Wilson! How long can you go without having sex?"

House called out to him smirking viciously. All heads turned to Wilson, partially because they were all curious about the young handsome doctor's sex life but mostly because they had never heard House use such a cruel tone, especially to Wilson.

"How long can you go without annoying people?"

Wilson retorted trying to control the temperature rising in his face. It was a coded jibe at each other. House had meant _"I don't believe that you aren't just in this for the sex" _and Wilson was saying _"you hurt me when you said that"._ Both refusing to believe the other.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

He walked away from Debbie and to the elevator. House didn't need Wilson to call out to him to know that Wilson wanted House to follow him. He said it by walking to the elevator instead of going up the stairs.

House's heart instructed his legs to follow.

"Why are you doing this? What's changed?" Wilson asked when the elevator doors closed.

"You love everyone. That's your pathology" House nettled

"Right, everything suddenly makes sense now. I'd forgotten loving people is a wrong" Wilson replied sarcastically

"You have a disease. You need to help people. You love people purely so you can save them from all the drama in their life" he said in a clipped tone

"Where is this coming from?" Wilson asked completely lost

"Why are we together? What is a guy like you doing with a cripple like me?" he enquired bitterly ignoring Wilson's question

"You've already asked this" Wilson replied exasperatedly

"Not when we were sleeping together" House wouldn't look at him

"My answer hasn't changed" Wilson remarked dryly

"So it's not because you have a superhero attitude on life. That you have to save everyone in the world?" House asked shrewdly

"What's wrong with wanting to help people?" Wilson asked puzzled

"Which brings us back to the question: why do you like me?" House sighed

"You think I like you because I want to save you?" he asked startled

"Yes"

Finally House's attitude made sense. House hated the idea of being pitied. The idea that Wilson's "superhero attitude" was the reason he was with House would be repulsive to the man. How could you persuade someone who was an oxymoron of low self-esteem and arrogance that you had real feelings for them?

"House I'm with you because you let me be myself. You accept me for my vices as much as my virtues. You make life easier by just being there. By being you with your childish pranks and your inappropriate jokes. My life's better because of you. For the record, loving maybe my pathology but I'm only IN love with one person and that one person's you. I love you House"

Wilson's confession stunned House to silence. There was a genuine honesty and pure emotion behind it. No one had ever spoken to him like that. Not even Stacey had given a more candid declaration of such love.

"Because every moment we refuse to love one another, another puppy cries another tear"

Wilson laughed. House was still here and hadn't run off screaming (although, that might have been because they hadn't reached their floor yet). That was another thing he loved about House. He might not say it back but by making a joke of it he accepted Wilson's feelings and was pondering his own.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Ping.

Cuddy stood before them as they exited the elevator. Her face was stony and serious. It wasn't the angry face she used when House had caused chaos. No, this was an expression that meant something was seriously wrong.

"Let's go to your office" she cast her stoic face at House

"Love to but you know how it is being a doctor...patients to save" he shrugged mockingly

"Whatever it is it can wait"

That silenced House. Cuddy never said "it could wait" when House was concerned. Cuddy always ordered him to stop procrastinating. It would be fair point to say that House usually ignored that command. However, right now House was obedient and all ears

She shut the door of diagnostics cursing herself for not choosing Wilson's office. Neither office was sound proof but Wilson's didn't have glass walls. House's office was not really ideal for private conversations. Unfortunately, this couldn't wait.

"Stacey just spoke to me about suspicions of an affair in this hospital" Cuddy folded her arms

"Damn! I told Cameron and Chase to keep it a secret" House said lacking the usual bite found in sarcasm

"House, shut up" Wilson pleaded

"She went to Vogler, our new chairman of the board. They conducted an investigation into it. You really should spend more time in the clinic House doing your job. There are cameras in there, for Christ's sake"

Both men turned deathly pale. Neither of them looked at the other but their fingers ghosted over each other with silent comfort. A consoling word would have been mutilated by House or made Wilson cry. This was better. It was not saying that everything was going to be ok. Instead it was saying "I'm here for you".

"So what happens now?" Wilson whispered

"If it were me I'd leave it at this" Cuddy replied sorrowfully

"But it's not" House answered quietly

"The Board is meeting on Thursday to discuss Wilson's dismissal and on Friday to discuss House's. I'm sorry"

She was crying now. The two of them were good for each other. She'd sensed Stacey's jealousy growing since Wilson had arrived. Cuddy couldn't believe that she would be this heartless. House was an ass but he was good ass. Neither House nor Wilson deserved to be stripped of their jobs and a second chance at love.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

No one had seen House or Wilson all day. Rumours were beginning to circulate about the nature of their relationship. Cameron wanted to tell them all to stop being so dense but the thing was she wasn't sure they were lying. Chase seemed to be looking very guilty.

"Did you start the rumour about House and Wilson?" Cameron sat beside him in the diagnostics room

"What? NO!" Chase snapped with righteous indignation

"Then you were the one keeping it a secret. For weeks you've been acting shifty, which means not only is it true but you knew about it"

Chase melted under Cameron's accusatory glare. She didn't react how Chase had expected her to. She wasn't crying, which Chase was relieved about (a crying Cameron was a very unpleasant thing indeed). Nor was she angry, annoyed at him maybe, but not angry.

"About 3 weeks ago I was supposed to take House's slot for clinic duty. Anyway House must have forgotten so I went downstairs to the clinic to find him. I heard them both together" he admitted shamefully

"They were in clinic having sex?" she looked scandalised

"I think they were just kissing"

He hoped they were just kissing. However, Chase seriously doubted it. He was absolutely positive that several times they had walked in on House and Wilson mid-sex position. Also it didn't help that Wilson would walk into the hospital looking completely pristine and would come out with his shirt crumpled and his tie loose.

"Wow! That was really nice of you" Cameron was completely blown away

"You're not mad that I didn't tell you or mad that House and Wilson are together?" Chase questioned utterly shocked

"I'm mad that I didn't know but I understand you couldn't tell me. I'm proud of you" she blushed

"And the House and Wilson thing?" Chase asked tentatively

"I'm ok"

She smiled sadly and then walked out.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Cameron opened the door to the Head of Oncology office timidly. Her eyes fell on a distraught figure. Wilson was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. His whole body was trembling uncontrollably. He was emitting loud sobs of heartache.

"Dr Wilson?" she entered quietly

He looked up to see her. He truly was a painful sight. His normally immaculate appearance was completely dishevelled. His hawk eyes were wide and bloodshot, while tears streaked his young boyish face. His body broke out in traumatised shivers.

"Dr Cameron, how can I help you?" he stood up and coughed back tears as he struggled to regain composure.

Her heart bled out as she saw that even through the pain he was still trying to be the Dependable Dr Wilson. That was the last straw. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him protectively.

Wilson was caught off guard by Cameron's reaction. He thought that Cameron, of all people, would hate him. She had loved House and there may have even been a chance for her to win him over if he hadn't arrived. He had stolen House away from her.

"I'm s...s...so sorry" he wept into her lab coat

"You've got nothing to be sorry for" she soothed

Wilson took a few deep breaths as she sat him down again and knelt passively beside him. He hiccupped repeatedly as he tried to calm his racing heart that was trying to commit suicide.

"What happened?" she asked when Wilson seemed calmer

Cameron didn't think she would get an answer.

"I met someone who made me feel...funny. Good. And I didn't want to let that feeling go"

There was an element of self-realisation in his tone. House was the first person in a long time to make him feel happy. When he was around House he felt completely comfortable in his own skin. He felt free.

"You don't choose who you fall in love with. I can't imagine how you could live with keeping your relationship a secret from everyone"

Cameron had never told anyone but she knew what it was like to fall for the wrong person. She barely let herself think about Joe. She was still so ashamed of her own feelings. The pain would consume her completely every time she looked at her husband. Near the end she spent every day at the hospital waiting helplessly by his side. Then Joe would come by after work. They'd take long walks around the hospital just talking. Her heart would skip a beat when he took her in his arms and held her whispering words of comfort and reassurance...

"You'd be surprised with what you can live with"


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"What!" An irate House opened the door to see Chase standing before him

"How come you're not with Dr Wilson?" Chase asked curtly

"As my employee that is none of your business"

House went to slam the door in Chase's face. However, Chase refused to be got rid of that easily. He slipped his foot in between the gap in the doorway. Infuriated House stamped his cane on it. He winced but still didn't move.

House gave up and led Chase inside.

"I take it there are rumours going around?" House handed Chase a beer

"Nothing I didn't already know"

It felt weird talking to House in such a casual fashion. House never spent any social time with any of his lackeys. Actually, Chase was willing to bet that, other than Wilson (and possibly a few hookers); he was the first person to actually set foot inside House's home since Stacey.

"What do you mean nothing you didn't already know?"

The little aussie turned a bright pink that highlighted his blonde hair. It was confession time and House wasn't going to like what Chase was about to say. Still at least it would be harder to fire him.

"Three weeks ago you bet me four hours of clinic duty that you could fix our patient by the end of the day. I lost the bet and sleepy girl lived. When I came down to do my time I heard you in there with Wilson..."

He was fortunately interrupted by a white aging scruff ball jumping up at House's legs. House lifted the scruff ball onto his lap and gave it a vicodin. His rough fingers stroking it affectionately.

"What's that?" Chase cast a wary eye at the thing on House's lap

"Hector. He's Wilson's child" House's voice was only partially mocking

"Right...are you going to see Wilson?" Chase asked quietly

"I'll have to. For the time being we still work together" House focused his eyes on Hector

"What do you mean, for the time being?" Chase tensed

"You know the rules"

Chase couldn't believe what he was hearing. House and Wilson were the two best doctors in the hospital. They were outstanding Heads of department as their traits worked perfectly for their speciality. Wilson was kind and knew how to soothe people who were feeling frightened and alone. House was ruthless and thought out of the box to reveal even the sneakiest disease.

"They can't fire you!" Chase hissed outraged

"They can. Most of them can't wait for the chance to get rid of me. Honestly if it weren't for my annoying habit of saving lives I'd be long gone" he laughed without humour

"Exactly. You save lives no one wants you gone!" Chase countered

"Is that coming from sex with Cameron or pity from you?" House smirked

Crap! How did House no he was sleeping with Cameron? Maybe she was right, maybe House was in denial of his true feelings for her. But House didn't look jealous. He was just giving Chase a look of enjoyment as the young doctor became sufficiently embarrassed.

"How did you know I'm sleeping with Cameron?" Chase stared blankly

"I didn't think it was a coincidence that you started smelling of Cameron's strawberry scented soap since last month"

Chase had thought they'd been really careful. He had been proud that he was keeping something private and House didn't know. He should have known better than to think he could pull the wool over House's eyes.

"You can't go. We need you here to help us with this case and the next one and the next one. You're needed" Chase pushed forcefully

He refused to give up on his boss. House kept a distance from everyone and drove the world crazy, just with his existence. Chase was pretty sure that even God puzzled over what made him tick. However, after working for just over a year with House you were forced to warm to him. You couldn't help it.

"Our current patient is from Montana. He hunted foxes. Those masses in his chest are not tumours. They're parasitic cysts from a bug called equinococosis. Touch a dead fox, they jump aboard, they can hunker down for decades - growing, spawning, shopping, putting on plays, you get the idea. The cysts isolated the parasites, keeping them from showing up in stool samples and blood tests. That's why we nearly missed it"

Even in the middle of his own drama House could still solve even the most impossible cases. Despite his constant complaints about meeting patients because they were only a puzzle, Chase knew it was a lie. House genuinely cared. It was impossible to be as good as he was and not care.

"That's exactly why we need you here. Do you think we could have figured that out?" Chase persisted

"Probably not but the cold hard truth is that even if they don't fire Wilson, they will fire me" House smiled bitterly

"It will always be your department whether you're there or not. That's not coming out of pity or sex with Cameron. This is coming out of respect and admiration for everything you have done and are willing to do for people. You can't let people slip through the cracks. You're someone who will always do the right thing. I am honoured to work for you"


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"How was work?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows at her husband's trembling figure

How was work? There were so many ways to answer that question. Unfortunately, the only truthful answers either started or ended with him being fired for having sex with his male best friend (who he was in love with). He wasn't sure whether she'd be more angry about the affair with House or him being fired.

"Fine" Wilson sighed

"You seem tense?" she continued

"Just tired"

He wished Bonnie would just shut up and let him be. He was sick to death of her which made him feel even more disgusted with himself. He wanted to be with House but he was too scared how the man might react.

"James. Do we need to talk?" she asked nervously

That was it he couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't pretend to be the happily married man. He was in love with House. He was done with the whole damn act. He wanted the world to know who he was. Who the real James Wilson was. The man who sucked at marriage, was in love with his best friend, was getting fired and was scared shitless,

"Fuck! Bonnie don't you get it? We've gone past any point where it's worth talking! I wanted things to work out between us but even if I do love you I'm not in love with you, I'm not sure I ever was! You are so out of my life that I managed to: have a second affair, fall in love and lose my job! You didn't even notice that my whole damn world was falling apart! It's too late!"

Bonnie was crying silent tears which filled Wilson with self-loathing. He really was a cold bastard. Clearly House had rubbed off on him in more ways than one. It was true though. It was too late.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Your shirt is ironed. Means you haven't told your wife" House patted Wilson on the shoulder as he entered the office. "I'm going to be facing the board in an hour and your only comment is that because my shirt is ironed I didn't tell my wife" Wilson replied scathingly

House didn't usually seek out awkward emotional situations but without Wilson he felt awkward and emotional. House needed the reserved oncologists close to him so that he stayed grounded. House had chucked back so many vicodin he was close to an overdose. Therefore, he had come for his healthier and more dangerous prescription of Wilson.

"No. But it is interesting to me that you didn't tell your wife that the Board might fire you today"

Wilson could see right through House's little stunt. House didn't want to deal with his own emotions about facing the board so he was focusing on trivial things. Wilson sympathised. He was scared too.

"Actually I yelled it at her yesterday evening. I think she was freaked out by it and that's why my shirt is ironed" he sighed

"That's interesting" he mused

"Damn it House!"

House was surprised. Wilson never yelled at anyone no matter what they did (or how much vicodin they took). Wilson was always patient and understanding. Him yelling was slightly disconcerting. Still, everyone has their breaking. Turns out even Mr Well Adjusted is just as screwed up as everyone else.

"Did it occur to you that maybe I'm going through something I need to have an actual conversation about" Wilson begged

"I'm not very good at actual conversations" House said half-jokingly and half seriously

"I know but can you try?" he asked softly fighting back tears

"ok" House acknowledged

He finally had House's attention and his permission to talk about his feelings. The problem was that now he had absolutely no idea what to say or where to begin. Everything was so jumbled up and shitty that Wilson couldn't even think inside his own head.

"You think you're going to lose everything. You don't know where to go from here" House stated

"I just want a guarantee or something that the world isn't going to end" he pinched the rim of his nose (a sign of a Wilson stress migraine)

"The world won't end. We might want it to for a long time but it won't" House rested his chin on his cane

"You're supposed to be making me feel better" Wilson snapped irritably

"No I'm supposed to tell the truth"


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

"They're ready for you" Cuddy stood in the doorway with her face set determinedly

Wilson didn't know how to move. He was completely frozen in his seat. He tried to get up but his feet just refused to budge. He was completely immobile. From the waist down his body had spontaneously become paralysed.

"Come on, James, whatever happens I'll be waiting for you"

That did get Wilson to move. House had never called Wilson by his first name. The only other person House had ever referred to by first name was Stacey. Things had been serious between them. Did that mean things were serious for not just Wilson?

Cuddy was wiping away stray tears and complaining about dust allergies. She was used to seeing House miserable but never as distressed as he seemed now. Seeing Wilson even remotely sad hurt but seeing him this lost and fearful was tragic.

They reached the board room all too soon.

"I can't go in with you" House squeezed Wilson's wrists

"I know" he nodded

"Just so you know...me too"

Wilson stared into the piercing blue eyes trying to extrapolate something from them. However, all he could find was an atheist's prayer for things to be ok. It suddenly clicked that despite House's alleged telepathy, unquestionable genius and a super powered cane: he really was only human.

He walked into the board room and away from House.

Wilson took his place in the centre of the room so all eyes could burn into them. He could feel the aggressive homophobic insults hovering on their mouth eager to escape.

A large black man stood up.

"This vote is whether to dismiss Dr James Wilson"


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

House stood staring at the door wishing x-ray vision was real. He was so focused on trying to burn eyeholes in the door that he almost didn't register Cameron sidling up to him.

"How long have they been in there?" she asked gently

"About half an hour. Honestly how long does it take to say 'we're smart so we won't fire you' or 'we're idiots so we're firing you', damn!" House snarled aggressively

"They have to discuss his background vs. breaking hospital rules" Cameron shrugged

"How do you know that?" House was too distracted to actually be interested but he asked anyway

"I wanted to know what I was risking with Chase and I wanted to know what you and Wilson would face"

Damn! He should have been the one to do that. Why hadn't he acted rationally? The worst part was he couldn't even blame it on his screwed up emotions because Cameron and Chase were in a similar position and they hadn't lost their heads.

"I'm glad you found Wilson. I'm sorry for what's happening" she brushed away tears "Why?"

Cameron had loved House. That had been obvious to everyone in the entire hospital. What was also obvious was that House had found her attractive but had never been interested in her. It wasn't personal. House just knew that Cameron loved the idea of him rather than loving him. Still, she should be crawling with jealousy instead of pitying him.

"I've never thought you were truly capable of being in a relationship. You spend your life avoiding them. Even with Stacey" Cameron whispered

"That's because I do not want any relationships" House retorted aggressively

"That's not true" she replied gently

"Actually it is"

House didn't have time for her sentimental caring act. All it was doing was making him wish he had never met Wilson. He wished that he didn't know how amazing it felt not to be alone. He wished he didn't have to feel sodding pain like this. He'd never felt such an overwhelming sense of dread and terror in all his life.

"I thought you were too screwed up to love anyone... I was wrong. You just couldn't love me. That's good. I'm happy for you"

She really did look pleased for him. It was painful kind of pleased but it was genuine. She really had wanted things to work about between him and Wilson. Her desire had always been to see a truly happy House and even if it meant she wasn't the one to fix him.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

When Wilson came out he walked right past House. He seemed to be feverish and was as pale as new snow. He couldn't get rid of the tremors running through his body. He actually looked like he was about to throw up.

House told himself he was only following Wilson because he was intrigued to know what had happened. He needed to know what happened so he could be ready to walk into the lion's den. That wasn't the real reason. The real reason was he loved Wilson and he needed to let Wilson vent.

Wilson didn't speak until they were safe in his office.

"I was fired. I've got a good record so Cuddy managed to persuade them to recommend me to another hospital for Oncology Head." He reluctantly answered there unasked question.

Wilson was leaving? That couldn't happen, he refused to believe it. Wilson was the only true constant in his life. His presence was a silent promise to always be there. House would be alone again.

"At least you won't have to keep paying for my lunch" he mumbled "House, I like paying for your lunch. This job has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me"

Wilson pulled out the box which he usually reserved for keeping the files in order. He stacked them carefully on the desk. Then slowly he put his treasured belongings into the box. It was everything from framed articles he'd written on cancer and credentials to tacky toys given by his cancer patients.

"I'm sorry. If it hadn't been for me you'd still have your job and marriage. If I could do it all again..." he began to apologise "Don't lie to me or yourself. If you could do it all again you'd do the same thing. In the end it won't matter. You'll be gone soon too. Then things will go back to being screwed up soon" he stared at the ceiling so House wouldn't see him crying "I know"

It was why he loved House. He wouldn't lie to Wilson just for the prospect of making him feel better and he didn't want that to change. House rarely did regret but Wilson could always tell when he felt it. House did regret costing him his job and marriage but he cared for Wilson too much to want to change thing between them.

"Did you mean it when you said you loved me too?" Wilson queried nervously "Actually what I said was "me too"...but yes. I did"

House was uneasy about saying those 3 magic words to Wilson. Last time he'd said them he had gained an injured leg and lost a girlfriend. Now, even though things felt different with Wilson he didn't want to risk being that vulnerable again.

"Then me too as well"


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"You really are a bitch"

Cameron stormed into Stacey's office with a look of outrage and betrayal upon her face. This startled Stacey. She knew that Cameron detested her and would frequently shoot death glares at her but she had never seen Cameron like this.

No matter how annoyed Cameron got she was always polite and pathetically sincere. It was this that often made it unbelievably easy to send people on a guilt trip. However, other than House, Cameron had never done more than call anyone an ass (and even that was laced with affection). Now she was using all herself control to stop herself lunging at Stacey and uttering a list of schoolgirl minded swear words.

"Please do come in. How can I help you?" Stacey asked sarcastically "Wilson got fired because of you. It wasn't enough for you to make House miserable but you had to make them both suicidal. They're the best doctors in this hospital and you screwed up both their lives."

Cameron's words hurt Stacey like a knife. She hadn't realised just how evil she'd been towards her ex-boyfriend. Her own jealousy had gotten the best of her and she'd finally destroyed the life of the only man she'd ever loved. They were both good doctors and had been good for each other but she'd taken it away from them. The hospital had been a better place since the two had met. House could actually be civil to his staff thanks to Wilson but now she had a feeling that there would be serious repercussions because of her.

"Fine, I'll go and talk to House"

She got up begrudgingly aware of her guilty conscience but Cameron wasn't letting her off the hook that easily. Stacey couldn't just realise she'd made a mistake. She needed to understand just how bad a mistake it was.

"It doesn't even matter anymore! Even if he doesn't lose his job people are still going to make fun of him because you can't take back what you said! You went too far this time Stacey. You can't fix this"

The truth in Cameron's words was like a dagger to her heart. Had she really screwed up things that much? Was it really impossible to fix things between them? Had she finally gone too far?

She knew the answer.

"I have to try"


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

"Hey!"

She found House walking alone in the direction of Wilson's office. He looked so broken that Stacey wanted to kiss him until he smiled. Just like she used to. But it was too late for that. She had taken away the most important thing in his life. His eyes told her she was the last person he wanted to see.

"I'm sorry" she blocked his way "Kind of rude to take advantage of a cripple don't you think? Getting in the way all the time"

Stacey blushed. He wasn't just talking about her blocking his way but getting in his way. She'd gotten in the way of his chance of being happy. She had stopped him enjoying and appreciating the life he had.

"I didn't mean to" she answered, resenting herself "So you didn't mean to make me miserable? You didn't mean to make me think that Wilson was with me because he felt sorry for me? You didn't mean to make him lose his job?" House gave her a look mixed with scepticism and loathing "I did but I didn't mean to take it this far"

House hobbled around her as she spoke. Stacey wasn't about to walk away this time. She had made that mistake many years ago and regretted it. She grabbed his arm so he would have to look at her. To make him realise just how sorry she was but all she could see was the tortured genius looking beyond help.

"What are you hiding?" she pressed utterly confused "I'm gay. Wait you already knew that! Oh you must mean the other thing about me finally falling in love and having it taken from me"

Stacey was surprised. She couldn't remember House ever using the word love about another human being, let alone falling in love. He had every right to hate her if he really felt that way about Wilson. She knew that he'd found it hard to pick up the pieces with her gone but she didn't know if this time he could pick himself up and fight another round.

"I'll be defending you to the board"

She walked away before he had the chance to deny her help.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

"This vote is to discuss the dismissal of Dr Gregory House"

Stacey looked apprehensively at House but he wasn't looking at anyone. Instead he was tapping his cane impatiently and staring at the floor. She hated defending House because even when he was innocent he always made himself look guilty.

"We looked at Dr House's record and have seen more complaints filed against him personally than any other department" He glared at House

"He also has the best mortality rate. That should be the only important quality in a doctor"

Stacey defended repeating her usual ground that she used for House. His attitude showed disrespect and downright rudeness. It was indefensible so she never argued against that point. However, his record for saving lives was irrefutable.

"No one is denying this but he only takes on one patient a week and we have been struggling to cover his malpractice fees for years" he cast a sharp glance at House

"If I practised medicine responsibly I'd be endangering lives" House growled

"Excuse my client, he's an idiot and is deeply sorry for being so rude" she glared at House

"I'm not sorry"

The room fell into a loud silence. House was famous for refusing to back down but he was rarely this stupid. He loved his job, despite what he might say otherwise. Yet here he was deliberately sabotaging any chance of getting his job back.

"Care to explain you to the Board, Dr House" Vogler eyed him cautiously

Vogler had heard a lot about House. Everyone had. However, nothing had prepared him for meeting the man. He was undoubtedly a genius but he was abrasive and cold. It didn't help that he deliberately attempted to conceal his disability rather than using it as a tool to gain leverage. Vogler didn't trust people who hid things.

"Doctors save lives. It's their job. Rules are put down not to protect the patient but to protect the doctors who work here. People spend so much time fixating on the rules they forget what their job means. That means sometimes people have to screw the rules because there are more important things that rules don't take into account here. That's why I'm leaving. I'm not going to waste my time defending myself to a bunch of bureaucrats because you've already made up your mind...and so have I"

With those final parting words he carried himself majestically away. He didn't look back. He knew what he was leaving behind. He was running away from the stability and security the hospital had provided him with for so long. He would miss it dearly but he didn't belong there anymore.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

_"And I'd give up forever to touch you,_

_Cause I know that you feel me somehow._

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,_

_And I don't want to go home right now._

_And all I can taste is this moment,_

_And all I can breathe is your life,_

_And sooner or later it's over,_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight._

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am"_

House rarely sang but when he did it was because it meant something to him. It was becoming House's favourite song for no other reason than that he associated it with Wilson's happiness. Although, the lyrics did seem oddly appropriate. Even if it was incredibly sappy.

RATA-TAT-TAT-A-RATA-TAT-TAT

House knew that knock. He knew it's rhythm because his heart beat to it. However, he didn't move because it couldn't be real. He didn't want to look out the door and see it empty or worse another figure in its place. But...

RATA-TAT-TAT-A-RATA-TAT-TAT

Well it looked like he would have to prove to his mind more disappointment. He staggered awkwardly up from the piano stool. He gripped his cane tightly bracing himself for the metaphorical fall when he opened the door and saw...

"Wilson?" House hardly dared breathe

"Bonnie kicked me out. Turns out you're right: it is always about sex" he sighed

"Not always James, not always"


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"Do you think we should tell House?"

Chase wrapped his arms around Cameron as they took one last look at the diagnostics office. They would always have a special connection to that place. It was where they had both first met. They would miss it. They both liked Foreman (although, he tested Chase's patience sometimes - especially over stealing Cameron's article) but they could never work for him. Chase had been right. House would always be the boss and that was why they had to leave.

"It won't make a difference to him. He'll just tease us about making a pointless noble stand" Cameron pointed out

"And it's not?" Chase asked hopefully

"No. I've seen what living a lie can do to people. I don't want us to have to keep sneaking around. Look how that ended last time a couple tried that"

She was sad that she would have to leave behind the job and boss she loved. However, she had needed her eyes opened to see what she was risking. She would rather lose her job than lose Chase. She should have realised that sooner.

"I heard that Dr Wilson called his wife to tell her he was coming to pick his stuff up. Maybe things didn't turn out so badly for them" Chase winked

"I hope so. But I still can't stay here. I can't work at a hospital that meddles in people's lives and destroys their relationships"

Chase privately agreed with her. He felt like he was supporting the Board's decision by staying. That was why Cameron and he had gone to Cuddy and told her that they were leaving because they didn't want to wait for the board to find out the true nature of their relationship.

"We'll be ok"


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

"Are you staying?" House handed Wilson a beer - concentrating on not letting his hands shake

"Only if you'll let me" Wilson looked up at him with his beautiful hawk eyes.

"What do you think? Or are we breaking up?"

There was silence at those words. They were both mulling it over. For a while they both pretended to watch monster trucks. Hector curled up between them. Neither succeeded in fooling the other. Very soon Wilson couldn't contain his burning questions much longer.

"I heard you quit your job for me, why?" Wilson asked curiously

"It was time for a change" House shrugged not looking at Wilson

"Can you finish the song you were playing before I came. I like hearing you sing"

House didn't say anything in response to Wilson's request. However, he picked up his cane and levered himself over to the piano stool once again. His fingers found the key's almost automatically.

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming,_

_Or the moment of the truth in your lies._

_When everything feels like the movies,_

_Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive._

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_'Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am._

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am._

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am._

_I just want you to know who I am._

_I just want you to know who I am._

_I just want you to know who I am._

"In another life things would be different. We'd both have our jobs and get our happily ever after" Wilson mused when House finished playing

"In another life I might have stayed alone and you might have stayed with your wife"

The subjunctive was one of House's least favourite tenses. Shoulda Coulda Woulda. It didn't make any sense dwelling on countless possibilities. As far as House was concerned possibilities just got in the way of life. Life usually dealt House an extremely bad hand just for the pleasure of seeing what he'd do with it. This time it seemed to decide that he deserved a break. Even if it had taken away one of his most valued possessions, trading it for Wilson was worth it.

"I think reality made a serious mistake in this whole scenario. Although, I don't know what the mistake was" Wilson chuckled

"Reality is forever making mistakes. What most people don't realise is that reality is nearly always wrong".

THE END


	50. Chapter 50: AN

End Note

Guys I want to start by apologizing; I am so sorry that you had to wait so long. I thought I'd uploaded the whole thing already and was shocked to find I hadn't.

I also want to dedicate this to all the people who have reviewed this fanfiction.

**turtlelikelemon – **you were my first reviewer and made me want to continue going on with this story

**GothTrekkie- **I'm glad you enjoyed what you read so far it you're comment made me smile

**Luzydeath – **Too true! you can probably tell House and Wilson hurt/comfort is one of my favourite kind of fanfics.

Thank you everyone!

References

References

House Episodes:

Family

The Pilot

Hunting

babies and bathwater

The Social Contract

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Mob Rules

Occam's Razor

Detox

House vs. God

Sex Kills

Damned if you do

Fidelity

TB or not TB

The Mistake

Resignation

Honeymoon

Failure to Communicate

Song:

Iris by Goo Goo Dolls - watch?v=B8UeeIAJ0a0

Trailer:

Brokeback Hospital by daasgrrl - watch?v=hEnZ80AQ_I


End file.
